Wednesday, September 23, 2009

T.H.E. Cat's Meow!

In the 1960s, Friday night was the place for “cool” television shows. At one time or another during their broadcast runs, you could find The Twilight Zone, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, and The Avengers o Friday nights. One of my favorites of those cool Friday series was T.H.E. Cat, a half-hour action series starring Robert Loggia as a retired cat burglar who worked as a bodyguard. It debuted in the fall of 1966 and only lasted a single season. In retrospect, that was probably a good thing for Loggia, who went on to have a long film career in movies like Big and Prizzi’s Honor and earn an Oscar nomination for Jagged Edge.

Still, T.H.E. Cat was an entertaining series that should have lasted longer. If you’re wondering about the title, well, some episodes would open with a scene ending with Loggia’s character stating his full name: Thomas Hewitt Edward Cat (his initials are T.H.E., of course!). That would lead into an animated title sequence where a black cat turns into a shadowy man as Lalo Schifrin’s catchy jazz theme played (Schifrin also composed memorable TV themes for Mission: ImpossibleMannix, and others).

When not providing protective services for a client, Cat hung out at the Casa del Gato (House of the Cat), a nightclub not unlike the one frequented by Craig Stevens in Peter Gunn. Cat’s crony Pepe (Robert Carricart) ran the nightclub; R.G. Armstrong played Cat’s police detective friend/nemesis Captain McAllister.

What I remember best about the show is the Cat himself, who would don an all-black outfit when on assignment. He carried a knife up his sleeve (the “cat’s claw”) and could throw it with deadly accuracy. He also used a grappling hook to scale buildings and tightrope walk from one structure to another when required (Cat had also performed in a circus…before becoming a cat burglar). Just to show that TV is educational, this is the show that taught me what a grappling hook was!

Unlike many less entertaining shows, I’ve never seen T.H.E. Cat pop up on local stations or even nostalgic TV cable channels. Maybe one day, it will be released on DVD. I never thought I’d see The Champions or The Protectors again, but found both in a “Spy TV” boxed set this summer. So, I’m holding out hope for one cool Cat.

13 comments:

  1. You know, Rick, I don't remember watching this one, but I swear I remember that opening with the cat turning into a shadowy man. I like Robert Loggia very much, and would be interested to see this show if it ever becomes available. Good blog (I mean post! LOL)

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  2. I've liked Robert Loggia since The Nine Lives of Elfago Baca back in 1958. He's also in one of my favorite Ben Casey episodes, I believe with Joan Hackett. He's doing a commercial now for Mac. I think he's 79 years old! Still looks good in sweatpants! I probably did watch T.H.E. Cat, but don't remember much about it. I think his career got jumpstarted playing either Tom Cruise's father in Top Gun or Richard Gere's father in An Officer and a Gentleman. My sisters and I always found him very appealing.

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  3. I watched this show every Friday night until it went off the air. My favorite Robert Loggia movie is Jagged Edge with Glenn Close and Jeff Bridges (whose father was in the TV show The Loner that Rick wrote about in the Cafe). The last line of Jagged Edge is a comment by Loggia and it is priceless!

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  4. Aki, do you remember the 1950s sci fi film THE LOST MISSILE, which starred Robert Loggia? I haven't seen it in ages and recall it as fairly decent...but with a very unexpected (and surprisingly downbeat) ending.

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  5. Rick I hate to tell you (well I really don't) but Lalo did not do The Man from U. N. C. L. E That was Jerry Goldsmith He redid the theme a few times but is was always him, from the pilot film on. Had sound track LP on RCA Records. And The TV champ for great jazzy scores week after week is Earle Hagen's work for I Spy . This show had a fresh score with no repeats. and all the scores are on high Quality tape some Stereo and some mono. Future post coming.

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  6. I kinda remember this show.. lots of karate, which was really cool .

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  7. Thanks for the B.L.O.G., Rick! I haven't seen this S.H.O.W., but it sounds like great fun. Hopefully, it'll pop up on DVD S.O.O.N.

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  8. My bad on the U.N.C.L.E. theme (Lalo apparently just scored a couple of episodes...though he also did the Robert Vaughn spy film THE VENETIAN AFFAIR)). Thanks, Paul! I revised the post in case readers don't check out the comments. In the meantime, I'm concerned that irate Jerry Goldsmith fans will boycott the Cafe until my status is changed from waiter to busboy. Sazball, wasn't "Elfago Baca" on DISNEY? Have always wanted to see it since it co-stars my girl Annette. N.I.C.E.comment, Sark.

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  9. Rick Elfago was on Disney in the ABC day's in wonderful living black & white.

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  10. Rick, I can't remember much about THE LOST MISSLE. but you can see a clip from the movie on TCM.

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  11. I haven't seen this TV show nor several of those blogged about at the Cafe but do wonder why T.H.E. Dog didn't follow this. It does seem the logical progression for Dog to follow Cat, doesn't it?

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  12. I like that, Toto! Although one could argue the show already had a canine component since Mr. Cat dogged his clients to ensure they were protected at all times.

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  13. Groan, Rick and Toto your killing me. LOL

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